One Christmas We Will Never Forget
by WitchatHeart77
Summary: Challenge response to VampireExotica's Lilies challenge on The Hideaway Forums. People are getting lilies for no reason and then strange things start to happen.


**_This is my response to a challenge by VampireExotica onThe Hideaway forums. Details for challenge are below in bold letters. This will be a chaptered WIP. Updates occurring every 1-2 weeks. Review ifyou would like, but since this is for posting purposes, you don't have to. BUT PLEASEREVIEW MY OTHER STORIES! LMAO!_**

**CHALLENGE DETAILS:**

**This one goes out to anyone...and to as many people who are interested in accepting the challenge:  
Here is the mission:  
It's our golden trio's 7th year at Hogwarts and something strange has been happening. It's coming up to a holiday (you can choose which all though I think Christmas might be a fun one) and various students and teachers have been receiving floral gifts from anonymous admirers (?). Large bouquets of Lilies appear in people's chambers or classrooms with only a sort of made up name or nickname of the addressee and a symbol on the card left with them. The people who have received flowers begin acting rather odd. They become rather unfocused and begin forming rather unusual pairings.  
Ships: Hermione Granger and Severus Snape are our main couple  
The following are optional: Madame Pomfrey and Dumbledore, Malfoy and Ginny, Longbottom and Lavender Brown, Ron and Pansy Parkinson.  
More would be fun!  
Genre: Romance, angst maybe some humour? bit of fluff? To be honest I don't mind as long as There is a bit of romance in there.  
Length: 1000 words minimum but I would prefer this to be story with chapters but that is optional.  
Any must have details:  
Trio's 7th year  
Snape is teaching Potions and secretly enjoys it. (none of this I want to leave but I'm bound to Dumbledore stuff)  
HBP never happened so Dumbledore is A'ok!  
The flowers are Lilys  
A kiss  
Someone (preferably male) must say ' chase me, chase me I'm a daffodill!'  
Someone must have an adverse affect to the flowers and become very hyperactive...think maggie on coffee in the simpsons  
So are you up for it?  
First chapter must be posted withing a month of accepting the challenge and withing 2 months if you are doing a one shot.  
**

**One Christmas We Will Never Forget**

The Great Hall was never adjusted after the celebratory evening after the fall of Voldemort. The streamers were still hanging from the walls and ceiling. The ceiling however had changed. Instead of the illusion of night that its enchantment usually kept, the glamour of a bright sunny morning was now the viewing pleasure. The students had been ready for this holiday for a while. Every year it seemed that something hung over their heads to cloud the joyousness of the occasion. Now, with the Dark Lord forever vanquished, the children could once again laugh, play, and be merry.

"Hermione, are you going to stay with your parents this Christmas or were you going to come with us to the Burrow?" Ron didn't even bother swallowing his mouthful of turkey before asking.

"Honestly, Ron. Could you be more polite?" Hermione questioned with disgust in eyes. "And no, my parents decided to go skiing, so I have already owled your mother to let her know I'm coming with you three." She gestured lazily to Ron, Harry, and Ginny.

"Wonderful! Oh, Hermione, you will love it there," Ginny exclaimed.

"I've been there before, Ginny."

"I know, but under different circumstances. It used to always be a happy place at Christmas. You've never been there before HE was around." Ginny caught herself and looked over at Harry. "I'm sorry, Harry. I know it's a sore subject for you."

Harry looked up from his half eaten sweet potato pie. "It's alright, Gin. We can move on now." He looked over at Hermione. "I can't wait either. This will be one Christmas we will never forget."

Just as Harry was about to get up and head back to the common room, a rather odd looking owl swooped down above him and headed for the staff table with a large package dangling below its talons. Harry felt it best to sit down as soon as he saw Severus Snape unwrapping a very large and beautiful array of lilies. The Great Hall seemed to burst out in whispers and hushed laughter. But something happened that very moment that no one will ever forget. The Great Hall hushed as the miracle of the century occurred right before their eyes. Severus Snape smiled.

The next day Harry, Ginny, Hermione, and Ron took the floo to the Burrow. The kitchen was drenched in the aroma of sugar glazed ham, sweet potato casserole, and cherry pies. Harry's mouth began to water almost immediately.

"Smells wonderful, Mrs. Weasley," he remarked. Mrs. Weasley gave him a sweet smile and small hug citing that the bread would burn if she tarried long. She walked back to the oven and took out the honey yeast rolls and placed them on the cooling rack.

"Mum? How many people are you planning on feeding this Christmas?" Ron asked looking astonished at the spread his mother had been slaving over all day.

"Only a few, dear. Our family, Minerva, a couple of Order members," she replied as she worked on the next culinary delight.

Ron looked over at Harry who was glancing at Ginny, who in turn was pleading to Hermione with her eyes.

Mrs. Weasley turned around just in time to notice the pained expressions on all their faces. "Well, it's the first Christmas we've had that we can actually enjoy, now isn't it? And by Merlin, we will enjoy it!" Her tone seemed to instill the usual 'do-as-I-say-or-else' fear in the young adults, and they immediately felt the need to remove themselves from her path. Thus, they retired to the sitting room only to find Professor McGonagall, Professor Snape, Remus Lupin, and Nymphadora Tonks all sitting around a very large, much decorated Christmas tree.

Minerva McGonagall was wearing a festive emerald green robe with a small red ribbon threading through the bodice. Remus and Tonks were sitting close to each other on the settee, both wearing red sweaters and matching Santa Claus hats with bells on the tips. Severus Snape had seated himself in the dark corner as always. He donned the traditional black robes and had his hands in his lap gently lying across a gold wrapped package. He looked up at the foursome as they entered he room. His eyes lingering on her for only a fleeting moment. It was this very moment that he noticed for the first time that she had changed since the war. She had become a woman.


End file.
